An enterprise typically stores large amounts of information in electronic files. For example, a company might store word processing documents, financial spreadsheets, and business presentations in a repository that may be accessed by employees. Note, however, that in some situations the enterprise might want to limit access to these electronic files. For example, not all employees should be allowed to view a document that lists every employee's home address and yearly salary. To limit access to this type of information, a security requirement may be associated with some or all of the electronic files. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates an example 100 including a first electronic file 110 and a second electronic file 120. The first electronic file 110 is associated with a first security requirement (e.g., a first password) while the second electronic file 120 is associated with a second security requirement (e.g., a second password). Thus, employees in a human resources department might be given the second password and, as a result, only those employees might be able to access the second electronic file 120.
In many cases, an electronic file may be associated with multiple portions. For example, the electronic files 110, 120 in FIG. 1 each contain a first portion and a second portion. Moreover, an enterprise might be interested in limiting access to certain portions while still allowing access to other portions (e.g., a school might want to let students access one portion of an electronic file that lists homework assignments while preventing access to another portion that lists the test scores of all students). Providing a security requirement associated with an entire electronic file, however, does not provide such a capability.
Accordingly, methods and mechanisms to efficiently, accurately, and/or automatically limit access to portions of electronic files may be provided in accordance with some embodiments described herein.